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Soldier, Good Samaritan Murder Trial Continues

The murder trial for an Army soldier accused of fatally shooting a father of three as he tried to stop him from leaving the scene of a shooting continues Wednesday. (Published Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018)

An ex-soldier will spend 75 years behind bars after fatally shooting a good Samaritan who tried to stop him after he shot his wife at a Southeast Arlington drugstore in May 2016.

Ricci Chambless Bradden, enters court on Jan. 16, 2018. Bradden is accused of fatally shooting a married father of three who was trying to stop him from leaving the scene of a shooting. Police said Bradden shot his wife in the ankle during a domestic dispute at the Walgreens where she worked on May 2, 2016.
Photo credit: NBC 5 News

For his crimes, Bradden will spend 75 years behind bars for the murder and 20 for shooting his wife. The sentences will be served concurrently, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Bradden's attorney, Pete Schulte, said on Twitter he plans to appeal Sturns' verdict and that his client was only defending himself when he shot Antell.

First off, I have high regard for Judge Louis Sturns in FTW. I obviously disagree with his ruling on finding my client, Ricci Bradden, guilty of murder. We will appeal as the “Castle doctrine” needs some appellate cases to give judges more direction on some provisions of the law.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, on May 2, 2016, Bradden went to see his wife, Quinisha Johnson, where she worked at a southeast Arlington Walgreens. The pair got into an argument and police said Bradden shot her in the ankle.

Antell, who witnessed the shooting, called to warn his wife who was outside in the parking lot with their children. Crystal Antell grabbed the gun from the vehicle and began watching the parking lot. Moments later, TJ was at the vehicle asking for the gun so that he could stop Bradden from leaving the scene.

Antell stepped in front of Bradden's vehicle and that's when police said Bradden got out of his car and fatally shot Antell. Antell's wife ran to his side and called out for help as he took his final breaths.

In court Tuesday, through tears, she described the moments after her husband was shot.

Crystal Antell testifies at her husband's murder trial, Jan. 16, 2018. Ricci Bradden, an Army soldier, has been accused of fatally shooting Anthony "TJ" Antell in a Walgreens parking lot as he tried to escape the scene of another shooting.
Photo credit: NBC 5 News

"I ran out of the car and I ran to him. And I was on top of him and I was trying to hold him and I was yelling for help and no one would help me and I was just screaming for someone to help me," Crystal Antell said.

"When the man got out of the car, he was eerily calm. He was so calm that I questioned myself. And the minute his arm started moving, the shots were fired. TJ didn't have a chance," Antell said. "And then the guy got in the car, slammed the door and peeled off, like it didn't matter."